My family starts with Keith, my husband since 1974. His work schedule includes four 10-hr days with a 3-hr commute on each day. Since he leaves later in the morning, we have a couple hours together first thing before he leaves. His three days off include two days that I work but almost always I am working from my home office so we are together. We have one same day off and we try to do something together and usually succeed. I will likely retire about five years before he does although he is five years older than me. It just works out that way financially. Luckily, Keith likes his job and will work as long as he can. I like my job also but retirement is a good choice for me at age 59. I have many things I want to do and I have to 'let go' of my work obligations to feel free to do them; tired of the stress from multi-tasking. In the meantime, Keith and I plan several mini-vacations during the year around our work schedules. Our main vacation together is in October every year when we go to Hot Springs, Arkansas.
I have two children, Jacob and Sarah. Jacob lives in Virginia and has a lovely partner, Nicole, who is currently in the service. They have been together since 2007. Jacob is starting his own business in finance and insurance as he completes his final year of education for his MBA. I see him about once a year. Sarah lives in Missouri with her husband, Brian. They have been together since 2003 and married in 2006. Sarah works in the health field and Brian in banking. I see them several times a year.
I have two older brothers. We were all born and raised in Virginia. Ed is in Iowa and John is in Virginia. They both are married and both have two children each as I have. Their children have produced five grandchildren for my brother Ed and six grandchildren for my brother John. Ed's children live in Nebraska and John's one daughter lives in Virginia and the other is in college in California.
I have one cousin in Ohio, George. He had two brothers, John and Tom, who both died in recent years. These three cousins were a significant part of my childhood as our Virginia family traveled to visit them in Ohio most summers in the 1950's and 1960's. Their father, John, was my mother's brother. My mother and her brother and an Uncle Mike came to the United States from Czechoslovakia in the 1930's. All started out by living and working in Washington D.C.
Since 2000, I have taken up to 10 days work leave time each year to travel to Virginia; mostly to see family members. I hope to continue more frequently and up to a month when I retire to travel to see family. I will continue to encourage and invite family to visit me. I have made no plans to travel yet this year because most everyone has come to see me already or I traveled to see them the previous year. I have included some of the recent family photos below mostly from 2010 and the first half of 2011.
March 2011, Springfield, MO. This is the most recent photo of our family together.
Jacob, Brain, Keith, Elizabeth, Sarah. (Missing is Nicole, Jacob's girlfriend who is unavailable at this time).
I am the family Genealogist. I would gladly pass the title onto other younger family members, but no one has stepped up yet. Everyone has busy lives now. My son, Jacob, has done much research on his own so he likely will increase the research as time goes on as he does seem to have a love and appreciation for the work. I'm sure it will be mostly for his paternal side. I need at least one of my brother's children to show an interest in their paternal clan but haven't seen anything progressive. That would be my paternal side. I will move in that direction when I retire if no one else has. I have already done six generations back on my maternal side. I have so much more I can do and look forward to the other sources I have discovered. But first, I will begin by digitizing 35 years of family photos that had been carefully placed on acid-free, archive-type paper and plastic sleeves chronologically in yearly albums. I am looking forward to that job lovingly in retirement. I may even take notes during this time that will help me outline a future novel. As I uncover some of the mysteries of my paternal family side, I believe I will find some very interesting stories that will be worth writing about. If not for the world to see, at least document our own Family History. This will involve travel to Eastern Europe; a good time to catch up with most of my cousins. My main contact with my European Family is Dara who is the only English speaking relative born in Slovakia. Her father, Milan, and I are first cousins and a week apart in age. Milan's mother, Helan, and my mother, Elizabeth, were sisters. My mother was the last one to come to the United States until Dara. Dara and my Sarah are two weeks apart in age. Shown below in my backyard gardens in Hermitage, MO, July 2010 are Shelby dog, Brian & Sarah and Jeremy & Dara & Baby Olivia:
In 2009, Dara's parents, Milan & Alzbeta came to the United States for the first time and met Jeremy's parents in North Carolina. While they were there, my brother, John and his wife Corinne and daughter Kristen drove from northern Virginia to meet them. While they were all in NC, Dara Skyped me and I met my first cousin Milan and his wife Alzbeta while Dara translated.
Milan and his daughter, Dara. Elizabeth and Keith are on the pc screen talking through Skype.
John, Alzbeta & Milan in North Carolina 2009
Elizabeth, Baby Veronica, Amanda pregnant with Baby Claire
Elizabeth, The Children - Faustina, Max, Catherine, Gus, Corinne, Kristin all having ice cream together
Williamsburg, VA - John, Kristen, & Corinne
Williamsburg, VA - Kristen
Sarah, Nicole, Elizabeth, Ester
Sarah & Jacob
Gary & Esther, Jacob, Nicole, Nicole's brothers Bill and Andrew/girlfriend
In June of 2010, Keith and I drove a couple hours to nearby Fulton, Missouri to see his mother, Lottie, and his brother Don & his wife Irma who were all there from Iowa to see Lottie's sister, Loretta.
Elizabeth & Keith, Lottie, Don & Irma
Lottie, Loretta with her son Joe & his wife Sandy
This was our last visit to this house in Fulton as it was sold at auction in June 2011.
July 29, 2010 Keith and I drove to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to visit his brother and family.
Keith, Don & Irma & their son Brent
The Barr Family - Dan & Jessie with daughters Lily & Molly
In October, Keith and I drove to Arkansas for our yearly Hot Springs Spa Vacation. On the way home, we stopped to see Keith's niece, Alisha and her husband Dave in Rodgers, Arkansas. Alisha was 7 months pregnant.
Alisha and husband Dave
Keith & Elizabeth with Daffney dog on Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Elizabeth with Daffney dog enjoying Hot Springs, Arkansas in October 2010.
Elizabeth at home in Hermitage, MO (Nov 30, 2010)
Branson, MO - Keith, Sarah & Elizabeth celebrating Elizabeth's Birthday Dinner at Red Lobster.
Branson, MO birthday weekend for Elizabeth and daughter Sarah at Silver Dollar City's 50th Anniversary
Before coming home from to Hermitage from this Branson trip, news was received by both Sarah and Elizabeth while together that Cousin Tom had died. Within a few days, both traveled together to St Joseph, Michigan for the Memorial Service.
Cozumel, Mexico - Tom enjoying the Good Life; died Dec 19, 2010
First Cousins: George, Ed, John, Elizabeth - St Joseph, Michigan for Memorial Service Dec 28, 2010
Second Cousins: Shawn, Kendra, Lisa, Eric - Dec 28, 2010
Second Cousins: Kendra, Sarah, Lisa - Dec 28, 2010
In late April, I stayed for a couple weeks to help my daughter Sarah while she recovered from foot surgery. During that time, my brother, John and his wife, Corinne stopped by a couple days on their road trip vacation.
John & Corinne, Elizabeth, Brian & Sarah dinner at The Landing in Branson
Brian's Mom, Cathy and her husband Albert, Elizabeth, Sarah and Brian celebrating Mother's Day at The Landing in Branson, MO
A week or so later, brother Ed rode his bike to Hermitage from Iowa to visit me and Keith and we all went to see Brian & Sarah and have some ice cream at The Landing.
During Ed's visit, he and I went to Ha Ha Tonka State Park a short drive from Hermitage.
Ed's visit to Hermitage, MO always includes a bike ride around the lakes with Keith.
Cannot forget our beloved dog, Daffney, who had celebrated her 15th birthday in April 2011 and is pictured here at home in Hermitage just after a good yearly Vet check-up.
Daffney the Dachshund
I wanted to include some photos of my brother Ed's family that I took on their 40th Wedding Anniversary in Iowa, June 2009. It is the most recent photos I have at this time and the last time I saw them in person. Brother Ed visits me in Missouri 1-2 times a year.
Tina, Diana & Ed, Ed Jr.
Ed & Diana with all their grandchildren: Kayleen, Braydon, Aiden, Ashlyn, Zach
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